


but the warmth told me that you should stay

by froggercultleader



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Eventual Smut, Hunter!Claude, M/M, Pining, Slow Burn, Strangers to Lovers, Wizard!Dimitri, no beta we die like Glenn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-28
Updated: 2020-05-30
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:35:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23900935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/froggercultleader/pseuds/froggercultleader
Summary: Claude’s village, short on supplies and food, leads a large scouting party in hopes of tracking down food. Things go wrong, and Claude finds himself in a strange place with a strange man.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Claude von Riegan
Comments: 7
Kudos: 54





	1. Echoing Down the Corridor

Peeking out from behind the harsh granite mountain range, the sun scattered its rays onto the misty fields. The morning horns blared out into the empty plains, dispersing until the swaying grasses swallowed the noise. Slowly, hunters made their way out from the comfort of bed rolls and warm furs towards the low burning bonfire.

Claude was quick to wake from his light sleep, as the combination of thin tents and loud people had always made for poor sleep. He decided to wear something light and dressed quickly, unsure of the circumstances that could cause such an early wake up.

A crowd had gathered around the remains of last night's bonfire, many sharing concerned looks with each other and fussing about what could be so important. Nader and the tribe master, Ridarth, stood up front, sharing concerned whispers through thin lips. With a loud cough, Nader brought the hunters’ attention forward, “So, it has come to our attention that supplies are running low...”

“The scouts have only spotted two small herds so far, neither of which are sufficient for winter preparations,” Ridarth jumped in, his voice quivering in worry. “We will have to send out hunters as well, to cover more ground.”

Nader nodded and resumed, “Group up into threes, bringing at least one scout. Be prepared to leave before the hour; we need all the time we can get.”

And with that, the hunt began in full. Wyverns and horses were saddled while bows and axes were prepped and sharpened. Claude busied himself, helping with the weapons, mind clouded with worry of the coming hunt. There was certainly something wrong, be it the ill direction of the wind or the silence that threatened to blanket and strangle the hunters. However, Claude has no more say in the decision making than any other hunter, perhaps even less so after his numerous incidents.

After gathering his own opalescent Wyvern, Jasper, and his bow and arrows, Claude aided in any way he could. By the time he was done saddling the last of the wyverns, Nader blew the horn once again, calling everyone over to the main entrance. 

“Alright, get into your groups and fan out in all directions when you leave. Try and keep at least one other group in your line of sight. If anyone finds traces of a large herd, set up a smoke signal so the nearest groups can converge to your location.” Nader directed each of the teams towards where they were to head. 

Once Claude and his team had mounted on their wyvern’s, Nader sent them off on their way. Claude headed off due south, flying parallel to the edge of the mountains. The other hunter flew close behind while the scout had ridden ahead to check for any tracks.

——

After a couple of hours, Claude spotted a smoke signal from the western team. His stomach sunk the moment he arrived, the sight of crudely slaughtered boars and freshly spilt blood had him stopped in his tracks. In the middle stood a colossal lion, it’s golden mane stained with gore and decorated in entrails. 

“This bastard’s been the one eating all the herds,” one of the hunters, Ishmar, had pulled up besides Claude. “Now would be the perfect time to get rid of it.”

“That’s easier said than done,” Claude replied, “it looks to be about the size of a mountain.”

“More hunters should be arriving soon, so I’d say we have a fighting chance. And it’s not as if that thing would stop eating if we asked it nicely.”

And Ishmar was right, in the span of a few minutes, about a dozen hunters had gathered, circling around the lion that had pointedly ignored them. The lion was intent upon its prey, slashing at anyone who dared close the distance. The wyverns and horses skittered nervously, ready to flee at any second. The riders themselves were no different, with many in position to spur their mounts away without a moment’s hesitation.

Then everything went very wrong very fast; the lion leapt towards the nearest wyvern, taking its claws to the wyvern’s chest and dragging it down. Savagely tearing flesh from the wyvern’s neck, the lion made quick work of its newfound prey.

With their renewed vigor and courage, the hunters took aim, drawing back spears and bows. Weapons went flying towards their new assailant and war-cries spread across the field. Some of the axe-wielding front men led a charge straight to the beast while the archers hung back and took aim. The lion charged towards the frontline, tearing into everything that came into its reach. 

Claude himself tried to get an arrow I to the beast, but it all seemed futile. Several arrows and spears had embedded themselves into the lion’s hide, yet the lion remained as relentless as ever, dragging down wyverns left and right. Some of the hunters had begun to flee, while others held their ground, trying to give the unmounted hunters a chance to escape. But the lion was faster, continuing to attack and push back. It threw a hunter in Claude’s direction, knocking him off of Jasper and onto the ground with a sickening crack. Feeling the warmth of blood on his head, Claude knew he was gone, as his vision began to darken.

——

Claude awoke with a hammering headache in a bed, surrounded by furs and plush blankets. He sat up on his elbows, wincing at the pain in his abdomen. Looking down, Claude saw that his shirt had been removed in order to bandage whatever injuries he had. After giving the rest of his body a once over, paying particular attention to his head, he shifted out from under the pile of covers to search for his shirt and shoes, both of which sat on a chair in the corner of the room.

Once dressed, Claude tip-toed his way to the wooden door before taking a peek out into the beyond. All that seemed to be there was a poorly lit hallway stretching out in both directions with doors interspersed here and there. Claude made his way out from the room and down one end of the hall, the cold already steeping into him through his thin clothes.

——

Claude paced faster through the never ending corridors, frustrated by his complete lack of information, much less a plan. It took him far too long to notice the circle he was going in and even longer the shadows that had begun to take refuge in the hallways. 

Cursing his thick headedness and current lack of caution, Claude began erratically opening the many doors that lined the hallway. Many of them were unused bedrooms left to collect dust while some were empty closest or bathrooms. After searching about half the rooms, Claude stumbled into a large kitchen rich with the smell of fresh burning logs and something slightly aromatic.

Claude at once saw the wall of a person that stood by the iron stove, who themselves had noticed and tensed at Claude’s footsteps. Past the point of having the option to run away, Claude decided it was in his best interest to stay and learn as much as he could. At the very least, he knew he was a welcome guest. 

Mindful not to scare away whoever it was that had taken root by the oven, Claude slowly walked over. He set himself by the countertop nearest to the oven and rested his head on a propped up hand. He then glanced up at his supposed host, and was surprised to see a young man. His face was long and narrow, mostly hidden by long golden hair that brushed the sides of his arms. Dazed blue eyes gazed at the old kettle that was set on the stove. A large, fur lined blue cloak draped off his shoulders, pooling on the ground where a large pair of feet peeked out from behind.

“What are you making there?” Claude asked, hoping to drag the man’s dutiful attention from the kettle. He watched the fog recede from the man’s eyes and the realization settled in.

“Ah...” the man turned his head slowly in Claude’s direction, and is if rudely awoken from a dream, jumped at the sight of Claude. With hunched shoulders and eyes glancing anywhere except for Claude, the man had begun quickly mumbling quiet apologies of “pardon my absent mindedness” and “excuse the state of the manor.” 

And that’s certainly not what Claude had expected. He could understand an affronted lord or some snarky housekeeper, not a strange, timid rabbit of a man. A rather large rabbit, but a rabbit nonetheless. That is what unsettled Claude the most. He masked his concern quickly, pulling on a relaxed face while turning to fully face the man.

“What are you making?” Claude asked again, trying to keep some semblance of normalcy in the conversation.

“Ahh, um just some tea,”

“That must be what I smelled coming in, quite pleasant isn’t it. What kind is it then?”

“Chamomile, a favorite of mine.” The man gave Claude a small smile that had no business being as lovely as it was. 

The kettle began to whistle, causing the man to move towards a glass cabinet in the back. He gathered a pair of teacups and saucers, setting them down on a round table in the middle of the room, before returning to the stove to remove the kettle. 

“Please, come sit.” The man gestured to Claude, waving him over to follow as he headed towards the table. Once the man was done pouring the tea, both he and Claude sat down. 

“So, to whom do I have to thank for the soft bed and fresh tea?” Claude ventured. 

“Oh, forgive me for not introducing myself earlier, I am Dimitri.” He gave a curt nod, causing a strand of hair to dip into the tea. “And who might you be?”

“Claude. Now, if I may be blunt, why am I here. I have no recollection of coming through any doors, or even finding myself a bed.” Claude pressed, anxious for answers of any kind. 

Dimitri took a sip of his tea, before setting it down with a sigh, “I found you lying cold in the plains near here, with not a soul in sight. I brought you in, since I’m not so heartless as to leave you to your own devices.”

“It was an awful scene, some kind of beast seemed to have torn through animal and man alike, so it was surprising to find a breathing man among the carnage. Do you have any recollection as to what had occurred?” Dimitri’s eyebrows had furrowed in concern while bandaged hands traced the rim of the tea cup.

Sipping his tea, Claude tried to scavenge as much as he could from shattered memories, but the only thing he could remember was panic along with the image of a blood stained lion. “I haven’t the slightest clue,” he mused. 

Nodding solemnly, Dimitri continued, “As I thought. Your head certainly did seem to be in poor shape, as did the rest of you. I hope you do not mind that I took the liberty of patching you up while you slept.”

“No, not at all. If anything, I’m more concerned about how I could ever repay your kindness and hospitality.”

“Think nothing of it. I rarely see many visitors, so it is a pleasure to have company. If anything I regret not being able to do more.” Dimitri glanced at Claude with another fond smile. And Claude knew he had to leave sooner or later, to return back to the tribe and find out exactly what had happened. But something about Dimitri made it hard to want to leave, and Claude surmised that it only had to do with how mysterious he was. Certainly a lone person in a large manor had more than a few secrets lying about. However, it seemed Dimitri had decided for him.

“Ah! At the very least let me offer you a bath and change of clothes before you leave. While your body may be worse for wear, I am sure you are ready to be on your way.” With that Dimitri shot up and grabbed Claude’s hand, leaving the half finished cups of tea while fussing Claude out of his chair and into the hallway.


	2. Kept Your Treasures With Your Bones

Claude sat back into the tub, relishing in the feeling of hot water permeating every inch of his skin. It had been far too long since he’d had a proper bath, the frugality of his village and their lack of water access being the main culprits. Which is probably why Dimitri insisted upon it; being a hunter, Claude had little to care for in the way of looks or scents. And after whatever ordeal he had been in, Claude was sure he smelled positively ripe. 

It was a rather gaudy bathroom, at least to Claude. Everything seemed to be made of fine porcelain, from the countertops to the bathtub. In addition, mirrors were trimmed with shimmering gold twisted and carved into various patterns. 

After filling the tub, Dimitri had left him with a plethora of soaps and jars of cream to use, many of which smelled sweet and floral. Choosing a bar that had a lavender scent, Claude set about scrubbing every square inch he could reach, avoiding some of his more tender bruises and scrapes. 

Once he was sure he was clean to the bone, Claude allowed himself to fully relax into the deep bathtub, causing the water to lap at his chin. He knew it was wrong for him to want to stay, Claude had his own responsibilities of course, and it would do him no good to drop everything to live with a man he knows nothing about. Which begs the question; why is Dimitri here in the first place. If he were a lord seeking solace from the business of aristocracy, where were the servants and grounds keepers. Dimitri seemed too old to be a simple maiden locked away in a tower. Since he could not stay, Claude knew at the very least he had to come back, if only to satiate the curiosity that gnawed at his head. But he also knew that it was dangerous, getting as swept up as he was into someone who had the possibility of being a threat.

There were other things too, like how Dimitri has access to hot water. Claude didn’t even know where he was; there had been no reports of a mansion near his village by any of the scouts. All of this was starting to be too much.

A rap on the door and Dimitri’s husky voice dragged Claude away from his thoughts. “Umm, I’ve some fresh clothes for you, though I don’t know if they will fit. If they don’t, let me know. I’ll leave them on the bed for you.” And then he heard Dimitri’s heavy footsteps echoing out before he was once again left with silence. 

Claude realized his fingertips were already pruned to perfection and decided it was time to get out. After toweling off his body and dripping hair, Claude replaced his earring and stepped into the bedroom. It was the same bedroom he had woken up in, sparsely decorated and dimly lit by tall candelabra. The clothes Dimitri had brought were laid out neatly on the bed; a plain white button up shirt and high waisted black pants, both of which seemed to have been freshly pressed. Slipping them on, Claude realized that they were, in fact, quite big on himself. The collar on the shirt tickled his ears, the neck dipped down to show off an embarrassing amount of chest, and the sleeves flopped around uselessly. Of course, the pants were no better, illfited around Claude’s waist, with the pant legs going farther than his toes. He felt like a child wearing his father’s outfit, even though at this point they were clearly Dimitri’s. 

Feeling rather ridiculous at this point, Claude realized he would once again have to search out Dimitri, this time while waddling around like some child. He rolled up the legs on the pants to a more manageable height and marched out the door. It seemed Claude had no need to search for long, as Dimitri stood directly to the left of the door, rigid and silent as an armoured sentry. Claude’s arrival seemed to bring Dimitri out of whatever trance he had been in. He looked up and down at Claude, clamping down on his lips to repress what Claude thought to be a giggle from the tremors in his chest. 

“Ah-Ahem. As I thought, those clothes do seem to be rather big. Wait here just a second, let me see if there is something I could do about that.” Dimitri once again gave Claude a small smile in between beautifully rosy cheeks before turning on his heel and heading down the hall. 

Claude was left to roam the halls to his heart’s desire, this time paying closer attention to the strange manor. Each of the rooms seemed to be like his, though most did not have its own separate bathroom. After checking through the various doors and closets, all of which empty, Claude ascertained that Dimitri left most of the estate unused. Which meant the more important items would either be behind lock and key or in Dimitri’s own living quarters, wherever those may be. 

In the end, Claude returned to his own room, flopping down into the plush bed covers with his hands behind his head to enjoy a moment of peace and respite. Dimitri was quick to once again interrupt, peeking through the door with new clothes draped over his arms and the same smile he had left with. 

“Pardon me, but I believe I have found something more fitting, or at least better than what you currently have on.” Dimitri stepped through the door, barely fitting through the frame. He set the clothes beside Claude, and made to leave before adding, “And I remember what I said before, so I hope I am not overstepping my bounds by asking you to stay for dinner. While I may not be the best cook, I hope I can at least send you on your way with a full stomach. Excuse me then.” He left without giving Claude so much as a moment to respond, shutting the door as he went. 

Though he was feeling rather peckish, it had felt as if he hadn’t eaten in days. It very may well have been days since Claude had eaten, and the only meal in recent memory would be from the night before this event had occurred. Of course, this manor had a way of messing with his head; the lack of windows or even a clock meant he couldn’t tell the time. The hallways felt cold and unwelcoming, a harsh maze that didn’t seem to fit Dimitri’s demeanor.

Dinner or not, Claude would have to get dressed, so he instead chose to focus on the second outfit lying on the bed. This time, the outfit seemed more ornate, the shirt with its ruffled sleeves and intentionally deep neck, and the pants with its golden buttons and tighter fit. Claude didn’t know if he felt more or less ridiculous then before, what with this extravagant outfit and all. But at the very least it fit well enough.

—

Not knowing where he could find something akin to a dining room, Claude returned to the kitchen doors, where various scents had begun to waft out along with the sounds of sizzling. He started to venture in, the smell of something roasting was tantalizing enough. Noticing Dimitri’s cloak hung over a chair by what had been their tea table, Claude tiptoed his way over to where Dimitri stood over the stove.

Claude could see that Dimitri’s hair had been pulled back with an odd amalgamation of ribbons and pins into something that looked like a ponytail. It cascaded down his back and over his shoulders, swaying along with him. He was dressed quite similar to Claude, a long sleeved blouse tucked into pants that sat high above his hip bones. The delicate dress certainly didn’t match with Dimitri’s aggressive physique and the criss cross of scars along his shoulders.

As he got closer, Claude could see sizzling steaks and potatoes in a large pan of butter and wine, along with a fistful of herbs and salts thrown in for good measure. It smelled even more heavenly up close. It was only until Claude was hovering besides the stove that Dimitri noticed him.

Eyes shimmering in excitement, Dimitri turned to face Claude and spoke rather excitedly, “I can’t say I expected you to come, but I appreciate you being here.” 

“You said so yourself, I am, in fact, quite hungry. Who knows how long it’s going to take to get back to the tribe,” Claude shrugged.

“Tribe?”

“Yea, it’s just a small group of tents dotted on the plains. It may not be a whole lot, but it is relatively peaceful. And everyone is like family, even to a new guy like me.”

Dimitri let out a guttural hum, “Must be quite nice.” Face shifting in melancholy, Dimitri seemed to sour at the subject. His eyes had begun to glaze over, not unlike how Cliude had first found him. He turned his attention back towards the pan, occasionally spooning some of the buttery mixture over the steaks.

Without conversation to distract him, Claude decided to explore the kitchen. He kept an eye out for dishware and cutlery to set the table with. If he could ever find them. Most of the cabinets were empty, while those that weren’t had been stuffed with little rhyme or reason. A set of knives set in a tall pot, wine glasses placed on top of a small pan. After what might have been the ninth door, he found a stack of thick plates in a drawer. The silverware was under a set of wooden bowls. He went about setting the table, picking up the remains of their earlier tea party to clear the way. 

Deciding the steaks were done, Dimitri walked over and poured a healthy heaping of steak and potatoes onto the plates. “Thank you for setting the table. I haven’t the mind to do so myself.” He returned to the kitchen, opening and rummaging through various cupboards until he found what he was looking for. Holding a rather dusty bottle of wine and a pair of wine glasses, Dimitri made his way back and poured them a glass each.

The meal was heavenly to say the least, even if Dimitri claimed otherwise. The sliced potatoes dripped rich with sauce, and the steaks were no different. Perhaps years of spit roasted jerky and other such bonfire delicacies had dulled Claude’s taste. Part of him wanted to savor every bite and truly take the time to enjoy the moment. Another wanted to follow in Dimitri’s footsteps and tear into it with little pretense or decorum. He settled on something in between, despite his current lack of self restraint.

Finishing off the last of his potatoes and wine, Claude allowed himself a moment to breathe, letting the warm buzz of the wine fog his mind. Dimitri seemed to be doing much the same, with his body limp and head gazing absently at the ceiling. Claude felt like falling back asleep, content to just wander down the hall and into one of the many bedrooms to doze off in. But he knew he could not do that. For all it was worth, he could stay here forever; readily embrace Dimitri’s warm hospitality and become daringly enveloped in him. But he couldn’t. And he knew he had to leave soon, lest Dimitri try to wrap him up once again.

Straightening in his chair, Claude began, “And now I really must take my leave. I’m certain I have overstayed my visit and run your hospitality thin.” Claude got up to leave only to be stopped by Dimitri grasping at his arm, letting his chair clatter to the ground. Dimitri stared at Claude with pleading eyes, his brows and mouth both pinched thin with worry. Goodness, he looked like a fletching wyvern begging for food. How pitiable.

“Ah, no…” Dimitri’s voice had begun to quiver, letting out no more than a whisper. “Please.” He looked down at where his hands meet Claude’s, quickly retracting them and looking away in embarrassment. 

“Hey now, you act as if I’m planning on abandoning you. And after all you’ve done for me.” Shooting him a quick wink and smile, Clause hoped to diffuse some of Dimitri’s tension. And who knows what fun surprises Dimitri’s strength could have in store. “Alas, I can not stay here forever, so you will have to do me one last favor and guide me to the front door.”

Dimitri grimaced and let out a hearty huff, sulking over to the kitchen door and motioning for Claude to follow. He was led through dozens of hallways and doors, all similar to the last. It was a miracle that anyone could navigate such a place, and yet Dimitri strode confidently through the halls. All the while, he still seemed apprehensive, keeping his distance from Claude and pointedly avoiding conversation. By the time they reached the front door, Dimitri seemed less tense. His shoulders had eased, but his eyes remained downcast, brows knit together. 

And of course, Claude had to do something reckless and idiotic. He knew he had sealed his fate in some manner, yet still. Moving for Dimitri’s hand and clasping it between his own, Claude cooed, “Don’t you fret over me. I will return to you once the stars allow me.” In a rather frivolous motion, he gave a curt bow, bending to kiss Dimitri’s hand. Poor Dimitri, all the while, had pink flowered cheeks stuck between stuttering lips. He left Dimitri with that, sneaking out of the front door like a well oiled snake. The fresh air sung in his lungs, and Claude was ready to be on his way back home. Wherever home may be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back to the shit show lovelies 
> 
> Not too happy with this but at least the next couple of chapters are better planned out, so they’ll probably be out sooner than later. 
> 
> Probably


	3. Ghosts You Have Left Behind

The sun sat low in the sky, painting the mountains and castle behind Claude in various hues of gold and amber. He supposed it made sense; scouts had never reported any other buildings in the immediate area. And where better to hide such a gargantuan building than between several equally big mountains. There seemed to be only one road in and out, curving this way and that between the steep peaks. The mountains themselves were barren and devoid of any signs of life, so Claude needn’t worry about being mauled on his way back. 

By the time Claude had reached where the road met the plains, the stars had begun to dance their way onto the night sky. He realized he had no directions as to where the village could be, and with no memories to guide him, it was a shot in the dark. He looked to the stars for guidance. Nader often lectured him about their importance for navigation and tracking. It was only until now that Claude could appreciate them in the same way. Figuring the way was likely to the north, he set off across the prairie.

—

The light of the early morning dusted the tents while a soft fog swirled between various moving bodies. It was a welcome sight to Claude, especially after a whole night of traveling. He immediately sought out Nader in hopes of learning what exactly had occurred prior to his stay with Dimitri. It wasn’t hard to find him, as Nader’s shouts rang out across the village with a tension in his voice Claude was unfamiliar with. 

However, he didn’t seem nearly as ecstatic to see Claude, with the furrows in his forehead only growing deeper upon Claude’s approach. “Where in Almyra have you been. You weren’t with the riders that came back and you weren’t among the… other group.” Nader sounded more concerned than scolding, eyeing both his bandages and his new outfit. “Jasper came back with some of the stray wyverns yesterday, so we had no idea where you could have possibly gone off to.”

“Yesterday? How long was I gone for? Fuck, I don’t even remember what happened…” Grasping for answers on the edge of his mind, Claude pressed a hand to his head. Everything was beginning to ache and spin, his limbs felt weak. Passing out on the grass suddenly sounded like a wonderful idea.

Sliding a careful arm across Claude’s shoulders, Nader led him back to his tent. “Listen, I can tell you’ve had a rather… interesting past couple of days. And as much as I would love to interrogate you right now, I think it’s high time you hit the sack.”

And Nader was right; exhaustion had begun to pool in his legs, weighing him down where he stood. Without even the decency to change out of his clothes, Claude flopped on his cot and wrapped himself between his thin blankets. Despite being the dawn of a new day, sleep came easily, and for once the thoughts baying in his mind lulled into a dreamless scape. 

—

He was prodded awake by the business end of a wooden spoon. Stretching into a more upright position, Claude turned to face Nader, who stood over him with a piping hot bowl of something and a rather pained expression etched into his face. Nader passed him his meal, and began to speak, “You already slept past lunch, but I figured your stomach’s pretty empty. And I’d say it’s high time for some answers, so finish up quick. I bet you have one hell of a story to tell.” He headed over to one of the small stools in Claude’s tent, kicking back with a set of papers in hand.

Staring down into the bowl of broth and mystery meat, Claude mulled over what he should and shouldn’t reveal to Nader. He knew he wanted to keep what had transpired hidden. Which might not be possible. Despite only joining a couple of months ago, Claude was sure Nader had him figured out. On several occasions, when Claude went out of his way to avoid everyone, Nader was quick to find him and bully him into talking about his troubles. And with something as important as this, it’d be like getting shot by a poisoned arrow. Not to mention his own questions.

He polished off the stew, already missing the flavorful flourish of Dimitri’s cooking. Tucking his papers away, Nader brought his stool over to Claude’s bed side, clearly impatient for what he had to say. With a shaky breath, he began, “To be quite frank, I can’t seem to recount whatever had happened between the morning of this whole incident and when I woke up. Probably a concussion based on my wounds. So you will have to fill me in on that,” Nader gave a nod to both confirm and push Claude forward, “but I had come to in some other part of the plains. As to who dressed and tended to me, I haven’t the faintest idea. But it’s a miracle I was able to find my way back at all.” He tried his best to sound convincing, making sure he was steady with his words. It wasn’t the best cover story, but it’s what he had.

Nader didn’t look very convinced, but he seemed to relent, ready to move on, “Well, it began as a scouting trip, to try and find some viable herds. But apparently things went south when one group found a lion ravaging a substantial group of boars. Several others converged to their location to try and battle the thing, since that thing seems to be the main cause of our problems. It didn’t end very well. Most of the guys made it back, but in the end it was able to take 3 hunters out, along with a lot of the wyverns. As if our situation wasn’t already bad enough.”

“And something tells me we weren’t able to get rid of the lion, right?”

“...right.” Nader hung his head, defeat sweeping over his posture and into the room. Realizing it was the wrong thing to say, Claude switched gears to ease the dampened room.

“So wait, how long have I been gone for?”

“About four days. It seems impossible that you got back to us at all.” 

Claude felt like a fool; letting himself get carried away by Dimitri’s wiles and enjoying himself while the entirety of the tribe suffered. It made him sick. Continuing the conversation in spite of that, he said, “So what now. There doesn’t seem to be any way to get rid of the lion. But if we leave it alone, our food probably will only get worse.”

“That’s what me and Ridarth are discussing currently. We don’t have many options though, and a decision needs to be made soon. But currently most of our energy is focused on the warriors’ pyre, since it’s taken a while to get everything together. We should be able to have it tonight however, so I hope you’ll be able to join everyone. Well, you have the rest of the day to yourself, get some rest if you need to.” Having said his piece, Nader left, picking up the bowl and spin from Claude as he went. 

He didn’t want to sleep again, since that’d just be a waste of time and energy. Instead he headed towards where the wyverns were herded, wanting to check in on Jasper. She was easy to spot among the many earth tones. Once she spotted Claude, she waddled over, eager for affection and treats. She nuzzled playfully at his hand, sniffing for slivers of meat or bread. Checking over for wounds, he made sure she was healthy. By the time she realized Claude had no snacks in hand, she bounced away to rejoin the others in whatever game they were playing. He was once again left to his own devices, so he took a book from his tent and laid on the grass carpet, leisurely whittling the time away until dusk came.

—

Night came to envelop the tribe in her sympathetic embrace, while the stars across her skin played with the embers from below. The three warriors’ pyres had been lit, their various friends and families both mourning the death and celebrating the bravery. Claude still wasn’t quite used to the whiplash he got from the ceremonies. The whole process felt otherworldly; the bodies, left untouched to show off the various scars and wounds attained in battle, along with the person’s various personal items and weapons were burned. While it was a practical method, he couldn’t help but tense at the morbidity of it. 

Nader came over to check on him, slapping Claude on the back once he was within striking distance. “Glad you could make it kid. I know it may not feel like home yet, but we all still consider you family. So it’s important that you’re here.”

“Of course. It’d be a bit rude of me to hole up in my tent, wouldn’t it?” Claude tried his best to put on an air of casualty, but again, Nader was no fool.

“Hey, don’t worry about it too much. These things take time after all. It’s not just something you rush into.” Leaving with a sheepish grin, Nader went to go prepare for the rest of the night and intermingle with everyone else.

Once everything was reduced to a smolder, drink and food was passed around. Stories and heroics were traded across the coals. One of the women, Lympha, brought out her reed flute, while her brother Hilm sang ballad after ballad. The night grew dark, and she ushered her children to bed, ending the festivities. 

Claude left for his tent and prepared for bed, even if his restless mind demanded otherwise. Sleep did not come. Instead, musings about Dimitri swelled and subsided, the tides moving as if the moon were a swinging pendulum. They were ceaseless and fervent. He didn’t know what to think of it. Perhaps a visit would satiate his gnawing curiosity. Learn Dimitri’s secrets and be done with him. He should have no reason to intrude besides that. So why must wandering thoughts betray him?

Tossing and turning the rest of the night, he was left with restless sleep. Morning came once again, and with it, something new to face. The promise of work would be a chance to keep his thoughts at bay, at least for a little longer. At least until he had some way of quieting them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So it turns it was in fact sooner, good on me
> 
> It’s a bit of a short chapter but I’m a lazy fuck (also it probably wouldn’t flow as well)


	4. Turn to Page 617, Scientific Witchery

Claude spent the next couple of days working to the bone: tending to weapons, feathering arrows, herding wyverns, and occasionally hunting locally. However, after the previous incident, Nader was hesitant to send out any more large excursions. There were already a great number of injured still recovering, and many weapons had been broken or lost to the skirmish. The threat of a lion stalking the plains only worried him further. Tribe master Ridarth insisted, much to his dismay. And Ridarth was right, supplies were running low, and there was only so long that they could last without hunting. Nader relented, sending out a small group of scouts with very strict orders to not engage if anything gets seedy. 

Hunt or no, Claude still enjoyed the solace. But at night, his skin still itched with anticipation. The daily distractions were not enough. It was starting to bleed into his work, and Nader noticed him coming undone. Cursing his mindlessness, he was once again left with nothing to do but laze about. He resigned himself to finally visiting Dimitri when he realized it was the only solution to stave off his pent up curiosity.

He had remembered the rough location of the castle, but knew it would take a while to get there. Knowing that, he prepared a small sack of jerky and water, regretting his lack of preparedness the last time. He thought for a second longer and decided it would also be wise to come bearing gifts and goodwill, so he stashed away a jar of liquor along with his borrowed clothes.

Deceiving Nader was another issue of its own. Despite his innocent facade, Claude knew he didn’t buy the story, and as such, would keep a close eye on Claude. To avoid suspicion, he wandered out west, if only to make it seem he was going for a morning stroll. Once the tents were out of sight, he looped back around to the mountain’s edge and walked south. 

—

The castle seemed to loom higher during the day, the tallest of its towers beating out the nearby mountain tops. Knocking on the door, Claude mentally prepared himself for what was to come. It should be a simple matter; lead Dimitri on and hopefully find some time alone to explore. Though thinking about it now, he realized the task would be near impossible, considering the scale of the castle. And although he had done some investigation previously, it seemed negligible to what lies ahead. 

After what felt like several minutes, he realized that no one would be coming to the door. Perhaps Dimitri was out on some errands, making this the prime opportunity to do some sleuthing. He looked around for secondary points of entry, only spying the occasional window. When he found one low enough to climb up to, he assessed the path up, deciding which stones would make for the best footholds. Testing the first couple of stones, he determined that the structure was sturdy enough to support his weight, and began scaling the side of the castle.

It wasn’t the safest of climbs; in all honesty, Claude knew he should have left right then and there. Maybe if he had brought rope or Jasper along, this whole ordeal might have been easier. But no. He knew he was being stubborn, knew it could possibly get him killed. And for what? The thrill of uncovering some poor man’s secrets, of whom he has only seen once? But here he was, hanging onto a window ledge. It was asinine.

Hoisting himself up, Claude pushed the window aside and tumbled rather ungracefully into the room with a cacophonous crash. Despite his previous deduction, however, the very audible “Oh dear” from elsewhere in the room meant that the castle was, in fact, currently inhabited. He pushed himself up to spot a very disheveled Dimitri; his long hair was greasy and matted, while his shirt and pants were wrinkled and ink stained. Dark circles clung to his eyes, adding to the whole miserable image. The poor man desperately needed sleep and a bath. 

Then Claude realized he had been caught sneaking into someone else’s home. Dimitri had been friendly enough so far, but he still didn’t feel entirely safe for one reason or another. So Claude’s very appropriate excuse was, “I already tried to knock.”

Brilliant. Claude was going to get himself thrown back out the window at record pace.

Instead of that, however, Dimitri ignored him and moved over to hoist him to his feet, eyeing over to check for wounds. He brushed a hand over Claude’s forehead, his eyes softening when he saw the absence of bandages. “It’s good to see you’re in much better condition.”

Claude could only stare dumbly and sputter out, “O-of course. You did such an amazing job at patching me up.” Dimitri gave a small confirming hum before running his hands over Claude’s arms and squeezing. Straightening up to look around, he only then realized that they were in what seemed to be Dimitri’s room. It was clean and tidy, with tables and desks stacked high with papers, journals, and various jars chock full of strange powders. A neatly made bed was hidden away in the corner through the maze of tables and chairs. 

“Whatchya got going on over there?” Claude pointed at the desk, standing on his toes to get a better look over Dimitri’s shoulder.

Dimitri’s face went through several discontented expressions, perhaps in realization that . He sighed, “Oh just some research, nothing particularly interesting.”

Not quite satisfied, Claude pushed further, “I beg to differ. All research is interesting, even when I have little understanding of the subject. Knowledge is everything, especially to a researcher such as yourself.” Leaning closer into Dimitri, he put on his best pleading face, batting his eyelashes dramatically. 

Dimitri seemed to falter, letting out an exasperated sigh as he motioned Claude over to one of his desks. “I’m researching transfiguration, and while it is not within my specialty, it is still very imperative that I complete it.”

“Transfiguration?” That was not within Claude’s usual vocabulary, and from what he could tell, neither were Dimitri’s notes and journals. They were lined with diagrams, none of which Claude could make heads nor tails of.

“Well, specifically certain spells, so I can hopefully reverse engineer and remove them.” He grabbed Claude’s hand and led him over to one particularly busy area, sorting through various notes until he found a particular sheet. “This one, for example, where animal-animal transfiguration is applied. Typically the runes foll-“

“Whoa there, you’re going to have to explain more than that. What in the world is a ’spell’ or ‘rune’? Much less ‘animal-animal transfiguration’...” Claude had traveled a fair bit across Almyra, but he had never once come across anything like this. When he looked up, he noticed Dimitri wearing a similarly confused face, as if all of this information was simply common knowledge.

Slowly, realization dawned across his features, which was quickly followed by shame. “My apologies. It hadn’t crossed my mind that any of this would be foreign to you. Let me better explain then, though I suppose a demonstration would be best.” He thought for a moment, grabbed a nearby book, and began, “So, where I come from, the existence of magic is readily known. Although practice is limited to less than half of the population, it is still heavily researched and used.” He got up to begin searching for various items, and continued to explain, “So the best way I can show it to you is through a test, to tell whether or not you have the capacity for magic, and if you do, what kind. There are various flavors of magic, though most people are limited to a single type. There are many ways to determine a person’s type and potential, some more accurate than others. One of the main ways, and the one that I’ll be using, is crest determination. For example, a crest of judgement, of which I am in possession of, indicates light and dark magic, though it is a rather broad interpretation of it.”

Having collected all that he needed, he returned to the desk and cleared off the papers and journals that cluttered it. He grabbed a piece of chalk from nearby to draw a circle on the desk, filling it in with various marks and runes. While he set a bowl down and measured out his ingredients, he resumed, “Spells consist of three parts; the incantation, the components, and the magic. They are all equally important for the success of a spell. The incantation, in this case a magic circle, acts as the directions. The components and the magic are the materials and energy used to complete the directions.” 

He poured a viscous liquid into the bowl, followed by a spoonful of what looked like dried tea leaves. With a nod of affirmation, he grabbed Claude by the hand and led him over to the bowl. “Now comes your part. It’s not all that complicated, especially in comparison to some of the other methods. Here let me show you.” Leaning over Claude, he guided their hands over the bowl in a swirling motion. “Just focus on putting energy into your hand,” Dimitri breathed into Claude’s ear, making his job of focusing harder than it should have been. 

Beneath, the leaves shifted into a strange crescent shape. Dimitri, however, seemed to know what it was, moving to grab one of his many notebooks and leafing through the pages. While he returned to Claude, he hummed and said to Claude, “The crest of the moon, specializes in illusions and other related magic.” He gave Claude the book and moved to clean up the spell. “In all honesty, I didn’t expect for you to have any proficiency. Most magicians come from the mainland in Fódlan, though I suppose it is possible.”

“And why is that?”

“Magic is mainly inherited and maintained through bloodlines, hence its relative rarity. But then again, we have so little bearing on where the magic even comes from, there may be other sources.” Dimitri paused for a bit to ponder, then grabbed a piece of paper to jot something down. 

The book had two pages of information, one focusing on the generalizations of the moon crest, the other listed specific commonly used spells and famous researchers. He flipped to some of the other crests, curious as to the extent of the types of magic. Some were highly defensive based, others utility and enhancement, but very few were combative. He was brought out of his studies when Dimitri came back with more books and papers to hand off. 

“Here’s some more general info, do feel free to read up on it.” Claude couldn’t help but stare at Dimitri, partially in suspicion, but also for just how willing he was to give Claude bouts of information at the drop of a hat. Picking up on the unwanted attention, Dimitri simply blushed and turned away, sputtering out “Ah, well, it has been quite a long time since I’ve last seen another magic user. I’m sorry for handing you all this busy work when you probably have enough responsibilities.” He gave a halfhearted laugh and made to grab the stack of books he had dumped on Claude.

Turning away to prevent Dimitri from taking his new stash, Claude countered, “Hey now, you think I’d pass on having such valuable information?”

“Well, as long as you’re alright with all this…”

“Of course I am. If anything, it’s a welcome change of pace. Though I hope you don’t mind if I return here on occasion for some additional guidance. I’ve only just learned about all this after all.” 

“You are welcome here anytime, though I do apologize in advance if I am unable to answer the door. Sound does not carry well in these hallways, so perhaps it would be in my interest to keep my doors unlocked.”

“But then how will I track you down in these winding halls?”

Dimitri seemed to pause at that, resting his chin in his hand to think for a moment. Wandering over to a stack of books, he picked one up and opened it up to a bookmarked page. While perusing his shelves for ingredients, he said, “I suppose this can be your first lesson. Although this is a spell you will be unable to use, it is still an opportune learning experience. I would like for you to copy out the incantation in the book for me, please. It should be fairly simple for a first time spell.”

As Dimitri went to work collecting jars, Claude set down his borrowed books and made his way over to the desk to study the book. The circle was, in fact, very simple, and only consisted of six runes on the inner edge. Grabbing one of the many nearby pieces of chalk, he set about his assignment, finishing up by the time Dimitri returned. He did a quick quality check before scooping several light powders onto the table and plucking one of his own long hairs to add to the mix. Similarly to last time, he circled his hand over the circle. The powders began to intertwine with one another and attach to the hair, quickly becoming thin and then spooling together into a collection of luminous golden thread. When the spell was finished, Dimitri plucked a wooden cylinder from one of his many containers and wriggled it into the loose spool. 

He then offered it to Claude, explaining, “A honing thread, used to find wherever I may be. Keep it wound until you need it though, otherwise it becomes very insistent on following me.”

Claude took it and turned it over in his hands before asking, “So wait, if you used a shorter hair, like mine, would the thread be shorter than this one? Or could you use multiple strands of hair to make it longer?” He looked up to Dimitri for an answer, only to find his own puzzled face reflected back at him. 

“That… will have to be a question for next time. I do believe it is time for you to be heading back, however.” Checking the window, Claude could see the beginning yellow hues of sunset and knew he should have been well on his way long ago. 

He began to put the spool of thread into his bag when he realized he had ignored what he had come here for. “Oh! Here, before I forget to do what I came here for.” He pulled out the clothes and liquor jar and handed them over to Dimitri, who set the clothes down on the desk next to him and opened the jar to sniff it.

His head fell to the side, his hair following with him. “What is this? It smells of alcohol but doesn’t resemble any wine I’ve seen…”

“You are quite right, my dearest patron, it is not wine. It is a specialty liquor from my tribe; a well aged drink that pairs well with heavy meats and meals.” Dimitri hummed in acknowledgment and took a sip from the jar, nodding with approval before closing and setting it down besides the clothes. “Now that that’s settled, I do believe it is time for you to escort me out, since I still have no bearings in here.” 

Grabbing his books as he went, Claude made his way over to the door, with Dimitri following close behind to open it for him, who replied, “Yes, of course, follow me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter changed a whole fuckton so that’s fun
> 
> And apparently the crests have some basis in the major arcana??? For some reason??? So that’s my magic system now even tho it’ll only be for two characters
> 
> And and it looks like I’ll start trying to update Friday/Saturday ish so look out for that
> 
> See y’all next week


End file.
